Pocket-book.



PAT-ENTED OCT. 16, 1906.

P. SGHMITTER.

POCKET BOOK.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR.26,19Q6.

WITH F5555 0 wAsumcwN, 0. c.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL SCHMITTER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSlG-NOR TO THE WHITEHEAD & HOAG COMPANY, OF NEWARI ,-NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

POCKET-BOOK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 1906.

Application filed March 26, 1906. Serial No. 308.079.

T (Li/Z 2077 0777, it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL SOHMITTER, of Newark, in the count; of Essex, in the State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in PocketBooks, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in pocket-books, comprising, essentially, a rec- I tangular pocket having a substantially flat bottom and flexible sides and ends, the ends being flexibly connected at thetop and each end of substantially halfthe length of the bottom and. foldable inwardly into substantially the same flat plane, so as to meet near the longitudinal center .of the bottom, said inwardly-folding ends being provided with overlapping flaps having interlocking clasps, whereby the pocket-book is held in its closed position. i

My object is to provide a comparatively inexpensive pocket-book adapted to receive bills and coins, the .open'sideofwhich is provided with substantially rectangular side pieces flexibly joined together, so that the top may be opened to the full area of the bottom and retained in this position when inserting bills or coins, or either end may be closed separately or together to meet near the longitudinal center of the bottom.

Another object is to provide the inwardlyfolding ends with overlapping flaps covering the meeting ends and having interlocking clamp members, whereby the flaps are locked together and serve to retain, the inwardlyfolding ends in their closed position.

Other objects and uses will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved pocket-book shown in its closed position. Fig. 2 is a similar perspective view of the same pocket-book opened to its full capacity. Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged sectional views taken, respectively, on lines 3 3 and 4 4, Fig. 2, the central and bottom portions of the pocket-book being broken away in Fig. 3.

In carrying out the object stated, I provide a substantially rectangular leather pocket consisting of a bottom 1, flexible sides 2, and flexible ends 3, said sides and ends being flexibly united to the longitudinal and end edges of the bottom, so as to fold iI1-* wardly upon said bottom. The upper edges of the sides and ends are suitably secured by rivets or equivalent fastening means .to an open rectangular .metal frame, which in this pieces 4 and opposite straight links 5, each having its opposite ends pivoted or otherwise flexibly connectedto the adjacent inwardly projecting arms of the U-shapebars 4. The U-shape bars 4 are substantially the same form and size, and the inwardly-projecting arms of. each are of slightly less length than the depth of the ends 3 of the pocket, so as to permit the U-shape frames to be readily folded inwardly with the ends 3 in aplane substantially parallel with thebottom. Each of the links 5 is of substantially the same length as the combined lengths of the 'inwardly projecting arms of the bars 4 and is pivotally attached, so that when the ends of the pocket-book are folded inwardly in their closed positions the ends of the U- shape bars 4-will meet in close proximity at the longitudinal center of the bottom, thereby effectively closing the open side of the pocket-book when collapsed. The bars 4 and links 5 are preferably angular in crosssection, as best seen in Fig. 4, and the adjacent edges of the leather forming the sides and ends of the pocket-book are riveted between the inner flange and outer metal plate, as 6, to permanently connect the rectangular metal frame to the upper edges of the sides and ends of the pocket, suflicient clearance being left between the ends of the plates 6 and also between the ends of the lower flanges of the bars 4 and links 5 to allow the flexing action of the leather and flexing oints of the metal frame.

Secured to the ends 3 of the pocket some distance below the U-shape bars 4 are flexible flaps 7 and 8, having at their free ends clasp members 9 and 10, respectively, adapt ed to be interlocked with each other when the pocket-book is closed. These flaps 7 form the ends of a continuous strip of leather which extends downwardly along the ends and under the bottom of the pocket proper, to which it is adhesively or otherwise secured. One of the flaps, as 8, is somewhat longer instance comprises opposite U-shapeend than the other and extends some distance beyond the upper edge of the adjacent end of the pocket to which it is attached, while the other flap terminates near the outer edge of the adjacent U-shape bar 4, and it is therefore obviousthat when the ends 3, with their U-shape bars 4, are folded inwardly in a plane substantially parallel with the bottom, with their meeting ends in close proximity, the flap 8 will extend beyond and cover said meeting ends and will also lap upon the adj acent end of the flap 7, bringing the clasp members 9 and 10 into registration, where they may be interlocked one with the other.

The form of the clasp herein shown is well known in the art, and itis therefore unnecessary to further describe the same. In opening the pocket-book it is simply necessary to engage the end of the clasp 8 and detach its clasp member 10 from the member 9 by a slight pull upon the flap, whereupon the ad- 'acent U-shape bar 4 and its end wall 3 may e unfolded, leaving the other flap closed, if desired, to retain the coins in one end of the pocket-book, or its latter flap may be also opened or'unfolded until the frame is open to its full capacity, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3.

What I claim is- 1. A pocket-book comprising bottom, side and end pieces of leather united to each other, a flexible metal frame secured to the upper edges of the sides and ends, the end pieces being foldable inwardly and meeting at substantially the longitudinal center of the bottom, said inwardly-folding ends being provided with overlapping flaps covering the meeting edges of said ends when closed, and

interlocking clasp members on the flaps to hold said ends in their closed position.

2. A pocket-book comprising bottom, side and end pieces of leather flexibly joined to-' gether, U-shape metal bars secured to the upper edges of the end and side pieces and having their arms projecting inwardly toward each other, links secured to the upper edges of the side pieces and pivotally connected to the adjacent ends of the U-shape bars, said end pieces of the pocket with their U-shape bars being foldable inwardly and meeting near the longitudinal center of the bottom, and means for securing said pocket ends in their closed position.

3. A pocket-book comprising bottom, side and end pieces ofleather flexibly joined together, U-shape metal bars secured to the upper edges of the end and side pieces and hav- .ing their arms projecting inwardly toward each other, links secured to the upper edges of the side pieces and pivotally connected to the adjacent ends of the U-shape bars, said end pieces of the pocket with their U-shape bars being foldable inwardly and meeting near the longitudinal center of the bottom, flaps secured to the end pieces of the pocket and adapted to overlap one upon the other when said end pieces are closed, and means for interlocking the flaps, one with the other.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 22d day of March, 1906.

PAUL SCHMITTER.

Witnesses:

STEWART J. IAMIN, FRANK R. VAN HoUTEN. 

